Unconditional
by Alacquiene
Summary: You're blinded by your love for that child! As you raise him, if he starts showing hints of darkness, will you notice? Or worse! Will you notice and ignore it? That is what love does, Aqua! Unconditional love... It will blind you. AR / TerraAquaVanitas / OC
1. Chapter 1

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

I've been working on this for months.  
And I was aiming for a OneShot, but I decided to extend it.  
There were too many emotions going on for me to keep the word count in check.

The second chapter is almost complete.

I also intended to finish in May (in time for Mother's Day) but I'm sure I'll finish much earlier.  
After all, the idea is simple. And the story has been fleshed out.

I'd like to take this chance to thank my newest readers and reviewers.  
I still receive your emails; I truly appreciate them. Thank you.  
And, of course, a very heartfelt thanks to my oldest fans for sticking with me still.  
For those who have been waiting for something new, here you go.

I put all kinds of love - friendship, familial, unconditional - in here in the hopes that I'll melt your hearts.  
Enjoy!

**[DISCLAIMER]** I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Between keeping the Heartless under control, watching the balance between Light and Darkness, and generally maintaining order in hundreds of worlds… It was difficult to imagine where she would find time to think of him. But she did. Every waking moment. And in sleep as well.

Often, Aqua dreamt of him. It was vague and hollow because she didn't know how he looked now. It has been a decade since she saw him last; a fragile little thing in her arms. And that last day she had with him was the most difficult.

_She had just rocked him to sleep, his head resting over heart, calmed by its beat and the soft hum of her lullaby. Even now, six months after he was born, Aqua just could not believe this child was hers. This amazing, perfect little boy was hers. She lay him down carefully in his crib and spun the mobile she'd made for him.  
_

_"I love you," she whispered, pressing a kiss to her fingers and touching it to his cheek._

_ Then the peace of the moment was broken by a sharp, single knock on her door. She turned around to find the Master watching her._

_ "Master Eraqus," she said, respectful but wary. Ever since she'd told her Master that she was expecting, he hadn't been the same with her. They hadn't been on good terms.  
_

_"We need to speak, Aqua. About your son. About his future."_

_ Hesitantly, Aqua gave her little boy one last loving glance before she followed her Master out of the room. Right beside the closed door, he started. "His father… You and I know what he was like. And neither of us can know which nature your son will be inclined towards; yours, or his."  
_

_Aqua remained silent but her jaw tightened. If Eraqus noticed, he ignored it.  
_

_"Let's consider what he will become when he grows up. The possibility of him becoming a Keyblade Wielder is… it's…"  
_

_"Certain," Aqua finished for him.  
_

_"Yes, almost. Quite so," Eraqus agreed. "With both his parents being two incredible wielders, I don't see how he can be anything but. Even now I can tell he has a strong heart. He's intelligent and responsive. It will only be a matter of time before a Key comes into his possession. And therein lies our problem."_

_ Aqua tried her best to keep her emotions in check._

"_I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt. But, even so, I think it would be best if we remove any factor or influence that may be negative."  
_

"_What do you mean…?"  
_

"_He needs to grow up in an objective environment. And we need to make efforts to ensure he follows the right path. We must stamp out whatever darkness he may have within him and turn him towards the light. If you intend to keep him and raise him here, that is a condition that I require you meet."  
_

"_Master, with all due respect! He is a child, not a… an animal that must be controlled! He is a human being who needs to make his own decisions about who he will be." Aqua frowned. "He should have the right to choose his own path."  
_

"_Aqua, you brought this upon him. Of all the men you could choose to father your son - !"  
_

_Her Keyblade was in her hand before she could even think to summon it. "Enough!"  
_

"_Aqua…" he said, his eyes looking briefly at the weapon in her hand.  
_

"_No! I will not stand here and listen to this!"  
_

"_You _will_ listen!" Master Eraqus shouted back. "You're blinded by your love for that child, can you not see? As you raise him, if he starts showing hints of darkness, will you notice? Or worse! Will you notice and ignore it? That is what love does, Aqua. Unconditional love, like what you have for your boy… Like what I had for Terra. It will blind you!"_

_That brought her up short. Rainfell was suddenly so heavy in her hand. She dismissed it. Why had she summoned it in the first place? Was she so blinded already that she had unconsciously considered hurting her Master? "Master Eraqus… I…"_

"_Accept the truth, Aqua. Please. I am doing this for you."_

"_But… What should I do?"_

"I should have stayed. I should have…" she kept telling herself, breaking her own heart repeatedly. But the choice had been made and there was no taking it back. She had left her son under her Master's watchful eye, to train under Terra. Without her, they could show him the right path and keep him there. Control him, if he needed to be controlled.

Without her.  
Those two words hurt her so much that sometimes she forgot to breathe.

* * *

"I'm… done..."

Terra turned around to find the boy panting, hands on his knees. In his fist were small, triangular flags. They were used to mark the checkpoints of the hiking trail and obstacle course that Terra had set his pupil to at dawn – eleven hours ago. The boy flung these out onto the grass and Terra paused a moment to count them. Twelve white ones. And three red ones, which marked the more difficult tasks. All fifteen of them accounted for.

It was more than he expected of a boy of ten – almost eleven – years.

"Done," the apprentice repeated. He straightened up and let out a big breath. Then he grinned at his Master, his sapphire eyes shining.

_He looks like his father, Aqua. But whenever I look at him, I see only you. He has your eyes, down to the light that shines in them.  
_

"Good. Tired, Caelum?"

"Not even a bit!" the boy feigned an affronted look. Then he summoned his Keyblade – a sleek, sharp one in shades of blue. "Want a go? I've still got game!"

Terra had to laugh. He approached his student and placed a hand on his head. "Enough training today. You need to be well rested for tomorrow."

The young wielder frowned. "But I'm not tired. Come on, Master, please?"

Terra looked at his apprentice and sighed. "All right, we'll spar. But if you lose…"

"I know, I know," Caelum answered impatiently. "I'll scrub the floors of the Great Hall. Got it. Let's go!"

* * *

Long after Caelum was put to bed, Terra was still awake. He was at the Forecourt with Master Eraqus, watching the night sky.

"He's gifted," the old Master said to the younger.

Terra nodded. "Like his mother."

"He has more of his father's talents in him than his mother's. I've seen him train and spar with you. He's speed and lightning and a sudden breeze."

"He's adept with magic. Not as adept as her, but… I see her in him."

Eraqus looked at his apprentice – now a Master with a pupil of his own – and sighed. "You see what you want to see, Terra."

"No, I see what's _there. _Master, he's nothing like his father."

"That remains to be seen."

"You can't still say that, not after all these years. Master, with all due respect, you have to trust them. Caelum needs her. And Aqua deserves to - !"

He was cut short as a portal opened overhead. From the swirling light and shadow soared a Glider. It circled once then headed downward and landed a few yards in front of them. Terra grinned; Ventus was getting better at his landings.

"Terra! Master Eraqus!" the youngest apprentice greeted.

"Welcome back, Ventus," the Master returned.

Terra clapped his friend on the back once the armor had reverted back to its compact form. "How's it going, Ven?"

"Great!" came the answer as Ven pulled out rolls of paper. He handed a few to the Master. "The scrolls you asked for," he said. "And her reports."

He turned to Terra and handed him a single envelope, saying nothing.

"How is she?" Terra asked, taking it carefully, as if it might break.

"She's okay, I guess. Tired all the time." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "And, uh… She lost a bit of weight. And her hair is a little bit longer, if you want to know that sort of thing."

They walked back to the castle together and the Master left them to head to his rooms.

"What's Caelum been up to?"

Terra couldn't keep the smile off his face. "He finished the entire course today."

"The _whole_ course?"

"Yeah."

"Woah, he's getting good."

Terra nodded. Then, as his smile faded, he added, "Aqua would have been so proud…"

Ven looked away. "Yeah, she would have been."

"Does she ask about him?"

"Always." Ven's hand went up to rub his nape again. "I don't know what to tell her anymore."

"That's okay. I do. I'll write up a letter for her tomorrow."

"You know, Terra… You really have to admire her for this. If I were in her place, I don't think I'd be able to stay away."  
Terra smiled sadly. "Yeah, well… She was always the best at being obedient."

Ven's smile was awkward. "Yeah, she was."

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	2. Chapter 2

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thank you for the Reviews!  
**There were more than I expected when I woke up this morning so I decided to update early.  
Reviews usually inspire me to work more quickly on a story. Is that weird? Haha!

Although I must say that I think most of you are expecting more from this story than what I actually have planned.  
Unfortunately, this story is much shorter and simpler than you might think.  
I'm estimating the total word count to be at 8,000 to 10,000 words.

If you're curious about what Caelum looks like, I have a drawing of him on my DeviantArt page.  
My username there is Acquia.

Thank you once again for the Reviews!

**[DISCLAIMER] **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Eraqus read her reports thoroughly before putting them aside. Then he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes in thought.

They were flawless. The texts were detailed and specific, highlighting important points with clear explanations. It would have been enough that she noted the appearances of the Heartless – how many and where and how often and what kind. But then she'd also described the best ways to dispose of certain breeds. Aside from that, she found the time to explore the worlds she visited and take notes on important information, like the general behavior of the locals and the environment. She had even mapped out the location of each new world on star charts.

Leave it to Aqua to be so precise. She was always his best pupil when it came to these things. But he also knew in his heart what else these details meant – she was trying to keep herself busy, preoccupied. Because, otherwise, she would think of her son…

Even now that the child has grown, even seeing him every day, hadn't softened the blow he'd felt when she first told him. That moment... he would never forget it.

_ He put his book down on the desk as someone knocked on his door. "Come in."_

_ Slowly, the door opened and Aqua stepped in. He could tell immediately that something was wrong. She was not looking into his eyes as she closed the door softly behind her. And she stayed there, almost leaning against it. As if she was afraid to come closer._

_ "What is it, Aqua?"_

_ "There's… something I need to t-tell you. But, I… Master, this is…"_

_ She only ever stuttered when the matter was serious. He motioned for her to come closer but she didn't. And he said, "Aqua, you can tell me anything."_

_ Her mouth opened, but the words were so soft that he didn't hear._

_ "What?"_

_ She looked up. Her eyes were filled with such raw emotion._

_ "Aqua…"_

_ The words fell out of her mouth. "Master, I'm pregnant."_

_ His jaw dropped slightly and he froze for a minute. The thousand thoughts crashing around in his mind gave him a sudden headache. How could this happen? Well, of course it must have happened in the usual fashion, but… But Aqua? No, he expected this from the boys. Terra, probably. Ventus, even, when he got older, but not Aqua. Never Aqua. She was always so responsible and mature and… just how could this have happened?_

_ The assumption hit him so hard as he walked towards her that halfway to her he said, "Terra?" Because, of course, who else could it be? And he had always been aware of his eldest apprentice's affections for Aqua._

_ But she shook her head. He reached her just as she whispered, "…no."_

_ He was shocked. To even think that Aqua would go to other worlds and… and… commit such acts with who knows… "Who?"_

_ She swallowed hard at a lump in her throat and she turned away from him. He could see the heat flush her cheeks and her lips quivering as she admitted the last name he expected to hear. "…Vanitas."_

_ Xehanort's apprentice..._

_Eraqus saw his world collapse. His little girl was carrying the offspring of Xehanort's apprentice! A boy so steeped in darkness that Eraqus would not even be surprised if he was made of nothing but the stuff! And Vanitas had only been to the castle a handful of times! And he'd been banished because his dark nature was getting out of hand, because he fought unnecessarily with Terra, and because he tormented Ventus to no end… How did they even find time to do this? Had that boy actually influenced Aqua somehow? No, that was impossible! Unless he...!_

_ "What did he do to you, Aqua?" That was it, wasn't it? That demon forced this on her! Because Aqua would never…!_

_ The light in her eyes flickered, surprised. "What? What do you mean? I… We… He and I…"_

He and I? _"You did this willingly?" Eraqus couldn't believe it. He wouldn't._

_ But her gaze said it all. And the way her hand fluttered quickly to rest over her belly. Eraqus hadn't noticed it before but now he saw it. She was telling the truth._

_ "This cannot be."_

_ "Master…"_

_ "No, Aqua. You will not have that child."_

_ Her expression hardened and her fingers tensed. "Have I made a mistake in telling you?" Her voice was suddenly firm and defensive._

_ Eraqus struggled to control himself. "You've made a mistake in… in that!" He pointed at her unborn child._

_ Her eyes flared. "How dare you? He is not a mistake!" She paused and tried to regain composure. "I respect you, Master, and I thought I owed you the truth."_

_ The Master said nothing. Aqua was breathing heavily as they stared each other down. She was the first to look away and turn around. As she was about to open the door, she said, "I just wanted you to know. I'm sorry if I disappointed you." Then she walked out._

_ For the first time in her life, she turned her back on her Master._

Eraqus pressed his hand over his eyes. He hadn't handled that situation well. But there was nothing else to be done. He had complete faith in Aqua – he'd chosen her after all. Of his three pupils, she consciously had the purest heart. She always made the right decisions. Any child of hers would surely turn out the same. In this situation, however…

He couldn't shake his thoughts of Vanitas. His taunts and who knows what whispered threats always managed to get Ventus to withdraw into himself, ashamed and angry and unresponsive to anyone else. He fought with Terra on numerous occasions, once to the brink of death. If he hadn't intervened… Thinking on it now, though, that fight – it had been about Aqua.

The Master sighed heavily. He couldn't remember why it had been about Aqua. He couldn't recall if Terra was simply defending her from Vanitas or… Had there actually been something more, something deeper, between the three of them that he never knew about?

He'd never asked Aqua how she felt.

He shook his head. What did it matter now? From her Light and his Darkness came a child; a clever, arrogant young boy with skills worth boasting about. Much as Eraqus tried to hide it, he was proud of what Caelum has achieved so far. And aside from the occasional flashes of sharp rage and almost callous straightforwardness, the boy had exhibited no inclinations towards cruelty or hate.

Not even on the mother who'd left him.

Eraqus tried not to remind himself that it was he who sent Aqua away. At the time, it had seemed the best decision. But now… Now he was not so certain.

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	3. Chapter 3

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thank you for the Reviews!**  
I love hearing about what you think of the characters and how you felt about the Chapter.

Much of the later chapters are finished now.  
I'm just inserting / deleting some scenes here and there that I think the story can do without.

I also think this might be important to mention:  
I've been sick this past week, which is why I've had time to write and post a new story.  
Since I'm feeling better today, there may (or may not) be some gaps between updates.  
Rest assured, though; I promise I'll keep working on this and updating at reasonable intervals.

Oh, and there's a flashback in this chapter.  
Of the three that will be in this story; this had been my favorite to write. Let me know how you like / dislike it.

Have fun reading!

**[DISCLAIMER] **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Terra had just finished reading the letter. Even in print, he could feel her pain. She didn't mention it outright but it was in every space, in every gap between the words.

Ten years spent away from her own child… Sometimes, Terra wanted to sneak his apprentice out into the worlds to see her but Master Eraqus was watching them so closely that to even try was downright impossible. And Terra was not willing to risk it because then the Master would then oversee Caelum's training. He couldn't let that happen because he'd promised Aqua… He promised he would watch over her son.

He left his bedroom and walked around the empty halls of the castle to think. Before long, he found himself outside the boy's room. Quietly, he opened the door. The light from the hallway cut through the dark room and landed on the bed. Caelum was fast asleep; his mouth slightly open, his dark hair the color of midnight splayed this way and that.

_You should have said he was mine. Then maybe… Maybe you wouldn't have had to leave._

He walked silently into the room and stood by the bed. The boy stirred but did not wake as Terra tucked the blanket tighter around him. Then he turned around to let the boy sleep in peace, thinking about the time that Aqua told him...

_He paced in front of her. Back and forth, back and forth. "No, no, no. You're kidding. This can't be real." He looked at her, his expression both reproachful and full of pain. "You're kidding, right?"_

_ She shook her head._

_ "Damn it, Aqua!"_

_ "Terra, please, I don't need this from you…"_

_ He ran a hand over his face. "How did this happen?"_

_ The sudden blush on her cheeks made him visualize things that he really did not appreciate and an awkward silence followed. He sucked in a breath. "You're not…planning on keeping…?"_

"_Of course I am." She sounded shocked and offended._

"_What?" he spat back. "But that's… You know what Vanitas is like!"_

"_No,_ you don't know_ what Vanitas is like. I know him better than you do." She sighed. "And we don't know what he'll grow up to be," she added, sounding hurt as she placed a hand protectively over the bump on her lower abdomen._

"He_?" Terra asked, laughing awkwardly. "So it's a boy?"_

_She blushed again. "I think so..."_

_Terra scoffed. "Okay. Yeah. A boy just like his father."_

_Aqua glared at him. "Stop it. This baby is as much mine as it is his."_

_He punched the wall near her, his anger getting the better of him, and Aqua flinched at his rage. He regretted his actions immediately and he let his hand fall to his side. "Why him, Aqua? Why him, of all people? How do you think the Master will take to this news?"_

"_I… I don't know," she answered. "But I have to tell him."_

"_No! You can't! He'll lose it. He'll…" Terra stepped away and paced again, rubbing at his forehead. "Aqua, he won't be happy about this."_

"_But I am."_

_He looked at her, disbelieving. But he saw it, that shimmer of unparalleled joy in her eyes as she caressed her belly. She was honestly happy… He groaned as he walked back to her. He pressed his forehead against hers. "You're insane. You've gone insane, I don't know." He placed his hand on top of hers. "The Master will never accept this."_

"_It's not his choice to make."_

_His eyes bored into hers. "Tell him it's mine."_

"It_?" she asked, eyebrows raised._

"_Him," Terra conceded, stepping back. "You know what I mean, Aqua. Tell the Master he's mine."_

_She blinked a few times. "Terra…"_

"_You won't even know I'm pretending, Aqua, because I won't be. I'll… I'll love him. I'll take responsibility. And I'll do everything I have to do. I'll – "_

_Aqua smiled at him but he could already see the answer in her eyes before she even said it out loud._ "_Terra, I appreciate the offer. But I don't want to lie to the Master."_

"_This is not the time to be stubborn, Aqua!"_

"_Master Eraqus deserves the truth. And so does _he_."_

_Terra shook his head. His tone was gentler as he said, "If you tell him the truth, he'll never let you keep the baby."_

"_You're having a baby?"_

_Both Terra and Aqua jumped slightly at the exclamation. They both turned and saw Ventus standing at the open doorway with his mouth agape, his eyes wide in complete shock. He rushed to their side._

"_Wow, that's awesome, Aqua!" he said as he ran up to her._

_Not being able to help themselves, Aqua and Terra laughed._

"_Yes, Ven," Aqua answered. "It _is_ awesome." She looked back at Terra, her eyes bright and pleading. "Isn't it, Terra?"_

_He sighed, leaning close to whisper, "I'm here for you. And for _him._ No matter what."_

"_Thank you," she whispered back, her lips brushing his cheek._

Morning came and Terra hardly had a wink of sleep. Aqua's letter was tucked safely into his pocket as he walked to the kitchens to prepare breakfast. And to prepare for the special day.

To his surprise, though, Ven was already there. And the kitchen was a mess.

"What did you do in here, practice your wind magic?" he teased.

"No," Ven answered, pretending to sound hurt. "I was baking a cake." With a flourish, he set a beautiful chocolate cake on the table. "Ta daa!" he announced. "All ready for the birthday boy."

"Woah," Terra said as he walked around the cake to inspect it. It was perfect. He and Ven exchanged a high-five. He'd almost forgotten that Ventus had been the happiest when Caelum was born. Except for Aqua, of course. It shouldn't have been a surprise that he'd want to put a lot of effort into this. Still. Ven had never done this sort of thing before. "Where did you learn how to bake?"

"You really wanna know?" Ven asked. Then, softly, "Aqua. When I visited her, she taught me how to make this. She said she wanted… she wanted to be a part of his special day somehow, even if he can't know."

Terra almost grimaced. Way to break his heart so early in the morning, but he did his best not to let it show. "Well…" he said, looking the cake over again. "She did great. Always does."

"Yeah, but she drilled me on this for about a month! I think I made dozens of these before I got it right!"

That got a laugh from Terra. "Yeah, yeah. Good job, too, Ven. All that's left now are the candles. And Caelum. I'll go wake him up."

"No way, Terra! I'll wake him up. I baked the cake, so you get to clean!" Ventus was already tossing off the apron and mitts. Terra could only gape at him as he dashed off but he let it go. Ven did do well. He deserved to skip cleaning duty. So Terra squared his shoulders and got to work.

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	4. Chapter 4

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thanks once again for the Reviews!  
**And I am so sorry for the somewhat late update.  
I'm struggling to find time to go online again now that I'm well and back to being busy with real life.

About this Chapter. It's not really part of my original outline.  
I just wanted to write something that featured Caelum a little more.  
All the previous Chapters didn't really expound on what he's like.

Also, the next Chapter is complete.  
As soon as I get time to sit in front of a computer, I'll update.

Until then, I hope you enjoy this!

**[DISCLAIMER]** I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Ventus knocked on Caelum's door but he let himself in before the boy answered.

"Morning, sleepyhead! Guess what day it is!"

Caelum, half his face lost in a mess of pillows and blankets, cracked an eye open. "Sleepyhead yourself." The eye closed again. "And I _know _what day it is."

Ven ruffled the boy's hair until his hand was shoved away. "I've been up for hours, okay," Caelum complained, "but you and Master Terra took so long to get up that I fell asleep again."

"Sure you did."

"I did!"

"Uh huh."

"Don't believe me then, what's it to me?"

Ven laughed as Caelum dug himself deeper into his sheets. "And to think she was such a morning person…" he muttered under his breath.

Caelum lifted himself onto one elbow. "What?"

"Nothing," Ven replied quickly. "Get up, get dressed. Time is ticking and you don't want your birthday to be over before you even get to enjoy it, right?"

"Okay, okay," Caelum said, sighing as he climbed off the bed.

He was dressed in two minutes flat and they went to the kitchen together.

Caelum placed his hands behind his head, fingers interlocked, as they walked. He was humming a birthday song to himself at first but then he stopped midway, looking up at Ven. "I know exactly what I'm wishing for this year. I've been thinking about it a lot."

"Yeah? Is it a good one?"

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The boy smirked.

Ventus tried not to think about how much he looked like Vanitas. "How about a clue?"

"No way!"

"Come on. Just one?"

Caelum seemed to think on it, then he said, with absolute seriousness, "I've wanted it my whole life."

Ventus laughed. "Geez, that's not much of a clue."

"That's all you get, though."

* * *

Caelum and Ventus eventually made it to the kitchen – which Terra had managed to get mostly clean in time. There were still remnants of leftover batter on the counter top and there were a few bowls and utensils in the sink. Not to mention the spots of flour he'd failed to sweep up. But generally, everything was in readiness.

Both Master Eraqus and Terra were there and they greeted the young apprentice with a loud, "Happy Birthday, Caelum!"

Then they all burst into the _Happy Birthday_ song, clapping the beat as Ventus led Caelum to the seat at the head of the table. The cake was in front of him, and so was a small pile of presents. When the song finished, Terra urged, "Okay, you know what to do, Caelum."

Smiling, the boy blew out the candles.

Everyone clapped again and then Ventus leaned over, "Okay! Now what did you wish for?"

"That can wait, Ven, let him open his presents," Terra said as he began to move the cake aside and push the presents closer to Caelum. "Besides, you're not supposed to reveal your birthday wish, everyone knows that."

"Terra is right, Ventus," Master Eraqus agreed. "You're excited to open your presents, aren't you, Caelum?"

To their surprise, Caelum shook his head. "No, wait. I want you all to know my wish."

Terra frowned curiously. "All right, but why? What if it's already in one of those?" He pointed at the wrapped gifts.

"I don't even want any of these," Caelum pushed the pile away.

"You have no idea what's in them, Caelum," Terra went on.

"I don't need to know." He looked up at them all. "What I want doesn't fit in a box."

Terra held his breath as Caelum locked eyes with him. His apprentice had his serious face on. It was that face, _only_ that face, that made him look like Aqua.

She used to make the exact same expression. When she would reprimand him for teasing Ven, or for upsetting the Master, or for getting a spell wrong one too many times. He could barely keep eye contact with the boy just then because he had _her _eyes. And for Caelum to look at him with that face, with those eyes… It was almost too much.

He sighed heavily. "What _do _you want, Caelum?"

His apprentice took a slow, deep breath. "Tell me about my mother. Please."

The sudden tension in the room was palpable. But before anyone else could speak, Master Eraqus said, "No. Caelum, you – "

"No?" he half-shouted, his eyes staring straight at the old Master's. "Why not? Wait, no, I don't even want to know why not, because there's no reason that would make it okay for you to say no!"

The boy suddenly looked older than his eleven years. Terra walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He was having another one of his mood shifts, where he's suddenly not the sweet little boy he usually was but… something else. Terra knew it wasn't going to help his cause if he didn't control it.

"Calm down. Take a deep breath and calm down."

His pushed Terra's hand off and his tone was still demanding and sharp. "I'm not asking to see her! I'm not asking to talk to her or anything like that! I just want to know her name, and what she's like, and… and why is that too much to ask?"

"Caelum," Terra tried again. "Calm down."

There was silence for two minutes as Caelum took a few deep breaths.

Then: "I know she's a morning person."

Ventus suddenly shifted his weight uneasily as Caelum looked at him. "I heard you say it this morning."

And the boy continued. "I know she makes really good waffles because every time you mess up when you make them," he looked pointedly at Terra, "you mutter _I wish she'd taught me how to do this right._"

Terra cleared his throat awkwardly but said nothing as Caelum continued. "She must have been so smart and she was probably really good with a Keyblade." He turned his attention to Master Eraqus. "I know that, Master Eraqus, because when I do well, _really _well, you whisper, _sometimes it's easy to believe he's hers._ Sometimes."

He exhaled slowly. "But I just… I don't want to keep waiting for these whispers. I don't want to learn about her like that. It feels like I'm stealing something and I don't like it." His eyes were brighter than the heart of a flame as he looked at them all. "So, just for today, can I ask questions? Just two questions – No! Even just one! Her name. Please."

Terra and Ventus looked at Master Eraqus. It was not their call, it was his.

They both knew that the Master was afraid that knowing about Aqua would incite a sense of rebelliousness in Caelum. The boy would want to run away, to find his mother, to know the answers to all the questions and unlock all the secrets. And then there would be questions of his father and Master Eraqus just would not be able to handle that.

But…

"Her name… is Aqua." Master Eraqus conceded. Terra released the breath he didn't realize he was holding in.

"Aqua," the boy whispered, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"And you reason much like the way she does," Eraqus said quietly as he approached Caelum. Then he lifted the boy's chin so that they were eye to eye. "Except… she would not have been quite so disrespectful."

Caelum smirked. "Sorry. It won't happen again."

"Oh I'm sure it will. But for now – apology accepted."

* * *

"Oh hey, Ven, remember that time when we were at the Summit and you threw a rock at my head?" Terra said. They were in Caelum's bedroom, telling stories about Aqua. "Remember that"

"Yeah, I – wait, what? I never threw a rock at your head!"

Terra waved him off, turning his attention to Caelum. "So, your mother and I were just sitting there, looking up at the stars. She used to love to do that. And then, out of nowhere, this rock comes right at me and cut me on the back of the head! I turn around and there's Ventus, kicking rocks around so I - "

"Hold it, Terra, I didn't throw that rock at you!"

"Yes, you did. Man up and admit it."

"I never did that!" Ven turned to Caelum. "Seriously! Terra here blames me for everything!"

Caelum frowned. "Okay, but… What does my mom have to do with this story aside from just being there?"

At that, Terra and Ven exchanged grins, and then they laughed.

"I'll never forget what she said," Terra said between fits of laughter.

Ventus clutched at his stomach. "I don't even think she knew what she meant!"

"Aw, tell me!" Caelum said, poking at Terra.

Terra shook his head. "Now that I think about it, you're too young to know this one."

"What?" Caelum groaned. "Well, thanks a lot for bringing it up!"

The three of them were still in gleeful hysterics when a sharp clap brought them back to reality. Master Eraqus was at the door. "I doubt any of you noticed, but it is now way past Caelum's bedtime."

"Already?" All three of them said in unison, which coaxed out more laughter.

It took another fifteen minutes for them to finally cool down enough to put the youngest apprentice to bed. As soon as the boy closed his eyes, Master Eraqus ushered Terra and Ventus out and closed the door.

"I'll leave you two," the Master said. "There are a few matters that I need to... think about…"

Terra and Ventus watched him walk away and then they both sighed.

"What. A. Day," Ven said.

"Can't argue with you there," Terra said with a tired grin. But it was a good day, too, and they both knew it. It was wonderful to be able to talk about her again without having to do so discreetly. It felt good to be able to tell Caelum.

"Let's hope he doesn't ask about his dad next year," Ven muttered uneasily.

Terra clapped him on the back. "Come on. We should rest up, too. You've got a trip tomorrow and I… Well, I have a student to train."

Ven grinned. "Yeah."

* * *

**A/N: **The anecdote that Terra mentions, the one about the rock, is in one of my other stories: Consequences. You can read it if you like.

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	5. Chapter 5

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thank you for the Reviews!  
**And be patient about Vanitas. Hahaha!  
He will make an appearance in this story.

I'm considering writing a Prequel to this but I haven't quite decided yet.  
Maybe I'll base my decision on your opinions and on how well this story is received.

Also, have I mentioned that this is an _Alternate Reality _story?  
The events of Birth by Sleep never really occurred here.

Anyway, I hope you like this Chapter.  
Have fun reading!

**[DISCLAIMER] **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Terra was having difficulty sleeping; that was why he was wandering the corridors in the middle of the night. It didn't explain, though, why he had stopped in front of a locked bedroom door. _Aqua's_ bedroom door. It didn't explain, either, why he summoned his Keyblade and used it, the doorknob giving off a faint glow followed by a soft click as it unlocked.

He turned the knob in his hand and pushed the door open.

He almost wanted to fall to his knees right there because the state of her bedroom – perhaps the Master had cast a spell on it so that the dust never settled – it was like she never left. There was still an open book on her bed, and her daily outfit folded carefully and placed on a chair, and some unfinished sewing on her desk.

And he could almost see her. She was brushing her hair at her dresser and throwing him a smile from her mirror. She was looking out the window at the brilliant dawn, the sunlight picking out stray strands of her soft blue hair and turning them silver. She was reading a worn book on her bed, wearing a thin cotton shirt and looking so… so sexy that it hurt. He looked away.

_"Was there something you wanted to tell me, Terra?"_

Her voice whispered in the back of his mind, asking him what he was doing at her door. He turned to look into the room again, seeing her everywhere, and his eyes blurred. "I miss you."

He walked into the room.

"I think I'm going insane, Aqua," he said to the empty room. "Talking about you today, telling Caelum about you, it opened up all these scars that I'd been trying to forget I had."

He sat on her bed and she was suddenly beside him. She placed her hand on his arm, her eyes looking up at him with endless sorrow. _"Tell me."_

"I hated you for choosing _him_ when I was right here. I was right here, Aqua." He looked at her; the Aqua that was a figment of his imagination. He wanted to hold her but he knew she'd disappear if he tried.

He continued speaking. "I thought that was the worst of it. I planned to weather it out and to be there for you when the storm was over. I was so sure it was going to happen anyway. Then Caelum came along. I see you all the time when I look at him but I can't pretend that I don't know he's only half you. I can't pretend that I don't envy _him_ for being the other half."

Terra stood up and Aqua faded.

"I've wanted to ask you what I did wrong, or what he did right. I keep playing it back in my head but I just can't see where all this started. I literally just woke up that one morning and caught the two of you laughing and playing around in the kitchen." He laughed uneasily. "I can't tell you how much it hurt. How much it still hurts."

* * *

Ventus set his half-finished glass of warm milk onto the countertop.

It didn't taste quite right. It was good and creamy and just the right temperature but something was still missing. Sighing, he wished Aqua were around so he could ask her just how she could make something as simple as warm milk taste so delicious and comforting.

He couldn't sleep.

He thought it might be because he was dreading leaving in the morning – he had missions waiting for him in other worlds. But the more he thought on it, the more his mind led him down paths that he hadn't thought about in a while.

He missed Aqua.

Which was funny, because he saw her not too long ago. Funnier, because between the three of them – him, and Terra, and Master Eraqus – he's the only one who gets to see her at all.

Maybe that was why he missed her so.

Of the three of them, only he sees the pain she was in. She would always smile when she greets him and embraces him but there was a chill in her touch that was never there before. There was a shadow in her eyes that didn't belong there. The quiver of her lips and the hollow ache in her voice whenever she asked about home were always heartbreaking signs to him of just how terribly she must be suffering inside.

He missed how her smile used to always reach her eyes. He remembered that her hands used to be so warm when she heals him. And her voice used to be so firm but sincerely caring whenever she reprimanded him.

Now, all the loneliness and anxiety and fear… They were starting to stifle the Aqua he knew, replacing her with someone broken. He could only hope that Master Eraqus lets her come home before any damage became permanent.

* * *

Eraqus paced in his study, unable to even lie down and attempt to sleep.

He couldn't get the image out of his mind; of seeing Caelum, with Terra and Ventus, so unbelievably happy at simply hearing about his mother. His eyes had shone as brightly as Aqua's used to.

What more if she were here? What more if she had been around to raise him, to teach him the ways of being a Keyblade Weilder? Would she have done well as his Master? Would the child's inner light actually have flourished better under Aqua's guidance?

Perhaps, Master Eraqus thought, he should have given Aqua more credit. He should have had more faith in his best student. Maybe she would have managed to draw a line between being a mother and being a Keyblade Master. Was it cruel for him to assume that she would make the same mistake with Caelum that he almost did with Terra?

He pressed a hand to his forehead.

What made the situation worse was that Aqua believed him. Aqua, who had always respected him, took his lessons to heart, obeyed him and upheld all this teachings unfailingly… She must have spent the last decade believing herself incapable of raising her own son because he, her Master, implied so.

"What have I done?" he asked himself.

It was a miracle that Caelum hadn't turned out bitter and rebellious, or withdrawn.

Eraqus took a deep breath and sat down. Maybe he was angrier with Aqua than he'd originally thought. Maybe what he'd done was a subconscious punishment for her mistake, for her being with… with that dark apprentice.

He pressed his fingers over his eyes. He should have forgiven her. It was such a long time ago and she was young. She was likely… confused. Perhaps Vanitas truly _had _corrupted her somehow. Perhaps she didn't choose this so much as she was tricked into it, tricked into believing she'd done something she wanted. And he, instead of helping her to heal as he should have done as her Master, he'd sent her away.

Everyone makes mistakes in their youth. _And even in old age, apparently, _Master Eraqus chided himself.

Coming to a decision he got up from his seat and left the study, intending to have a word with his apprentices.

* * *

Sleep never came easy. Not this night, not any night.

The only time that sleep ever came close to being easy was when he was on her soft bed, wrapped in her blankets, lost in her embrace and the sound of her breathing and the feel of her skin against his. If he closed his eyes, he could almost feel her and hear her soft laughter as his hands traced a light, slow line down her spine.

His thoughts were interrupted as a Dark Corridor burst unbidden into life beside him, beckoning him. He growled at it before waving his hand, causing the portal to dissipate into nothing. It happened whenever he thought of her. It was as if his subconscious was begging him to go to her, to be with her. He didn't want that. He'd made the decision against that.

Vanitas stood up. There was no use trying to sleep. It wasn't going to happen - not when she was running around his thoughts like this. With a practiced flex of his fingers, he summoned his Keyblade. He hoped to find some beastly, powerful Heartless rampaging around. He could do with some mindless violence. After all, what better way was there to put her out of his mind than to destroy, to kill?

* * *

Terra left Aqua's bedroom, closing the door behind him. He considered locking it again but he couldn't bring himself to.

"Oh hey, Terra." Ventus had come up the hallway.

He smiled questioningly at Ven, asking, "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah. You?" Ven asked, looking pointedly between Terra and the door he still stood in front of.

"Yeah… I was just thinking about her." He looked away from the door, unable to bring himself to lock it again. It felt too much like he was shutting her out, keeping her away.

"Me, too. All that talking about her today… It really made me miss how things were before."

Terra sighed. "I know. Same here."

"Terra. Ventus." Both of them immediately stood straighter, recognizing their Master's voice as he approached them. "I'm surprised to see the both of you still awake."

"Master Eraqus," they greeted in unison.

"We were having trouble sleeping," Terra offered as an explanation.

The Master nodded at them. "I believe I know why," he said, glancing at Aqua's bedroom door. "It has been too long, hasn't it?"

Terra and Ventus glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes before Terra dared to say, "Yes. Too long..."

"I thought so, too," the Master said quietly. He paused for a moment, then he turned to the younger of the two. "Ventus."

"Yes, Master?"

"Tell her… It's time to come home."

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	6. Chapter 6

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thanks again for Reviewing!  
**You might like to know; this is the second to the last Chapter.

Consider this as something like a cool-down before the end.  
I also thought you might need to see a little of Aqua before the conclusion.  
Enjoy reading!

**[DISCLAIMER] **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Worlds away, the sound of pen scratching paper echoed quietly through the early hours of morning. Aqua was keeping herself busy, keeping her mind preoccupied. She'd missed her son's birthday. Again. For the eleventh time. She hadn't been to _any _of his birthdays.

_Please don't let him hate me… _her mind found time to beg just before she silenced it with thoughts of the Heartless she'd defeated that day and the knowledge she'd gathered.

Aqua finished writing her latest report just as dawn touched the horizon. She looked out her window to watch the sky come to life. It brightened slowly with new colors – soft pinks and pale yellows, light blue with wisps of white…

It reminded her of her baby boy. He was born at dawn. And, try as she might to stop them, the memories still came.

_The pain began a couple of hours to midnight._

_It was bearable. She almost thought it was a false alarm. As she diligently timed the pains, she eventually came to the conclusion that it was time. Nerves and anticipation welled up within her as she tried to keep calm. She hurriedly got everything ready, everything that she thought she might need._

_She walked back and forth from her room to the bathroom several times. She double-checked her stock of sterilized cloths and towels. In between her preparations were bursts of pain that grew worse each time. One contraction chose the worst timing – she was right in front of Terra's room carrying a basin._

_Her gasp and the clatter of the basin on the floor woke the elder apprentice who immediately emerged from his bedroom. "Aqua?" he asked groggily. "What are you doing?"_

_Belatedly, he noticed that she was hunched over in pain. When he did notice, he held her up and asked, panicked, "Now?"_

"_Yes," she said through gritted teeth._

"_What should I…? What are we…? What do I do, what do I do?"_

"_I could do with a little less panic, Terra," Aqua said, breathing deep as the pressure eased and the ache dulled temporarily._

_He picked up the items she dropped and helped her back to her room. She stopped him, though, when he made a move to go in with her._

"_Come on, you can't seriously be thinking to go through this alone."_

"_I am."_

"_Aqua…"_

"_Please, Terra. Please. I don't need you to see this."_

"_Just what do you mean by that?" He took her hand. "I want to be with you. I want to help you. I know I don't know anything about this but you can just crush my hand or yell at me or whatever. Just come on, Aqua."_

_Another contraction almost made her fall to her knees but he kept her up. When it passed, she gave him a weak smile. "Now is not the best time for you to be so sweet…"_

"_Okay," he said. "Okay, just… I'll be right here. And you just got to say my name and I'll be there in a heartbeat. Okay?"_

"_Okay."_

"_Okay, good."_

_She managed to laugh at his silliness before she closed the door. And she was alone. It was just her and her little one. The room suddenly seemed so small. She paced uneasily until she couldn't handle the agony anymore. At some point, she wondered if it was possible to go insane from pain._

_When it became excruciating, when it was too much to bear, she thought of Vanitas._

_She imagined him with her. And she thought of every single moment that they had spent together. She thought of him holding her tight, almost tight enough to bruise but just almost. Her lips remembered his kisses, so hungry and hard. She closed her eyes and pictured his, golden and smoldering as they locked on to her. And she remembered how, whenever he looked at her, she felt as though he was seeing nothing else._

_She almost laughed, overwhelmed with pain as she was, knowing that Master Eraqus believed Vanitas was at the Land of Departure only a handful of times. Aqua knew the truth. Aqua knew exactly how many… Almost too many too count, but too few, far too few…_

_And she remembered their first time. Where they were and how it happened and that the stars were shining down upon them, blessing their union when no one else would._

_It was that which gave her strength when the pain was at its worst._

_The light of dawn shone through her window just as her son entered the world. His first cries came in time with the rising of the sun. And when she held him, his tiny fingers balled into tight fists, his eyes opening to reveal a brilliant blue, she saw heaven. And that was where she found his name. Caelum; Heaven._

_It took every ounce of focus she had to recall the magic that would stop her bleeding and ease her pain. It took a while for her to clean her newborn son off, holding him gently, afraid that the slightest pressure might hurt him somehow. All the while he watched her, his eyes drinking her in._

"_It's all right, Caelum," she whispered. "I love you. I've got you."_

_When she was ready, lying exhausted on the bed, she cleared her throat. "Terra…" she somehow managed to call out, her voice so quiet._

_But he heard her call, and the door burst open. He rushed to the side of her bed. "Aqua. Are you okay?"_

_She smiled. "I'm fine. We're fine."_

_He blinked a few times. "Good… That's good."_

_Aqua saw her vision blur as a tremor ran through her body. She was so tired. "Terra, will you take him? Please?" She held her son out for Terra to take and the elder apprentice did so with such gentleness._

"_Oh, Aqua," he said as he looked at the child in his arms. "He's…"_

"_I know," she said, interrupting him. "He's perfect."_

_She only just saw Terra's nod and his smile before sleep took over. Her dreams were of Vanitas sitting beside her, holding their baby boy._

Aqua stood from her desk, mentally brushing the memories aside. Reminiscing about her son was painful. Reminiscing about her son and his father felt even worse. Lost in thought and too exhausted to be observant, she failed to notice the Wayfinder on her desk shimmering as she got up to go to bed. She had just sat down on the mattress when a knock on the door made her stand once more. Sighing, wondering who could be calling on her so early, she answered it.

One of the inn's staff was at the door. "So sorry to bother you, miss. There's someone here to see you. Says it's urgent."

Behind him was a very familiar face that Aqua was surprised to see. "Ven?"

She thanked the bellhop who tipped his hat to her and let Ven inside. It had been only a little over a week since she last saw him. If it took him this quickly to get back to her, he must have traveled straight to this world from the Land of Departure. He even looked slightly out of breath. Did he run all the way here from wherever he landed? What was it that could possibly be so urgent that he needed to rush?

Her heart stopped. "Oh, Ven… Please, no. Please tell me Caelum is all right. Has something happened to him?" Her hands were shaking.

Ven's eyes widened. "What? No! He's great, Aqua."

She found her breath again as she closed her eyes and let the fear fade. "You scared me. You really scared me, Ven."

"Sorry," her friend said, grinning. "I just really wanted to get here as fast as I could."

Aqua looked at him curiously. "Why?"

"The Master wanted me to tell you…" he paused, still grinning. Aqua raised her eyebrows at him but a tangibly long moment passed before Ven finished, "…to come home."

Her mouth slowly fell open.

"Yeah, seriously!" Ven said, laughing. "You can come home, Aqua! We've really missed you, and the kitchen is probably still a mess from Caelum's birthday, and – hey, what's wrong?"

She blinked slowly and her mouth seemed to struggle to form the words. "I… I can see him?"

Ven nodded. "Yeah."

"I can come home, I can be with him…"

"Yes."

The smile on her face was so sincere that Ven's heart melted. "Oh, Ven!" she exclaimed, pulling Ventus into a spin and then a tight embrace as her happiness turned to honest laughter.

When she let him go, he staggered a little. "Okay, so… go get your stuff! Let's go home."

She stopped short. "No, wait…"

"What?" Ven was confused. Why was she hesitating?

"I… You have to go ahead, Ven. I need some time…"

"What?" His tone was a little shocked. "I thought you wanted this more than anything."

"Yes, but… Ven, I haven't seen him in a decade. What am I supposed to say to him to make up for that? Does… does he even want to see me?"

"Aqua, chill!" Ven said, placing his hands on her shoulders. He grinned. "Geez, if you only knew."

She looked into his eyes. "Knew what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, nothing."

"No, tell me! What?"

"You'll find out when you get home, okay?"

"Now you're just being mean, Ven…" she frowned, though her eyes were still shining with joy.

He laughed and said, "Do whatever you have to, Aqua. Just don't take too long, okay? We'll be waiting for you. All of us."

* * *

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


	7. Chapter 7

Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

**Thank you for staying with me until the end of this story.  
**I have a feeling that most of you will probably not be satisfied with this ending, but this is as far as I wanted to take this story.  
I won't prolong your wait with a long, opening Author's Note.  
I'll just say more at the end.

Thanks again and I hope you enjoy!

**[DISCLAIMER] **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. **[DISCLAIMER]**

* * *

**UNCONDITIONAL**

_As certain as the coming dawn._

* * *

Vanitas glared at the Dark Corridor that opened unbidden beside him. Its shadowy frame seemed to form claws and tendrils that reached for him and begged him to enter. It was the second one that day. Turning away, he closed it with a frustrated wave of his hand and a growl through his teeth.

Why did this keep happening? Why would she not leave his thoughts? He'd ripped her from his life, hadn't seen her in years, and destroyed every object he owned that even remotely reminded him of her. But she was still there, her shadow right behind him, her voice echoing in his mind.

"Damn you," he snarled, cursing her.

And yet another Corridor opened. The third one now. It was as if he had completely lost control. Vanitas clawed at his helmet as though to pull at his hair. All these portals opening against his conscious will was setting him on edge.

"If I see her, just once... " he hissed, pacing. The Dark Corridor was still waiting beside him. But he and Aqua had come to an agreement. And he had sworn he would never return. If he walked through that darkness now - knowing with absolute certainty that it would lead to a particular bedroom at the Land of Departure - then he will have just wasted all his efforts at self-control so far.

Then again, he argued with himself that, "She doesn't need to know."

Still, would a glimpse of her be enough? No; he'd want more. So he shouldn't go. But... Just turning the idea over in his mind was making his heart race. It would be just like those days when he stole glances at her or hid from her view and simply watched her from afar. It would be so damned easy.

His hands shook, the anticipation coursing through his veins. "Just this once," he said as he entered the portal.

* * *

To say she was nervous was the understatement of the century. More than once she considered turning her Glider around. She had no idea what she would tell her son, or how she would explain herself, or… He wouldn't even know her! Of course. She would have to tell him who she was first of all, and… just how awkward would that be!

Aqua bit her lip, frustrated and anxious.

She was afraid of how her son might react, the little boy she loved so much from so far away. She wanted to see him. To hold him and tell him she loved him. Would that be a good way to start?

The Land of Departure soon came into view, its aura almost blinding. Her heart beat louder in her chest; she had so missed her home. Here, she would be with her friends. Ventus wouldn't be just a messenger anymore; things would be as they were before. And Terra. She wondered how much he'd changed or if he was still as she remembered him. She wondered if he'd, perhaps, moved on... Then there was Master Eraqus, who she hoped fervently had forgiven her. But then why else would he want her home if not because he had?

And Caelum.

The baby boy she brought into the world – and abandoned.

_No. No, you did what you thought was best. _No matter what she told herself, though, the pain and the fear lingered. Would he hate her for leaving? And even if by some miracle he didn't hate her, would he ever be able to love her?

The sky was the color of early-morning darkness when she landed on the Forecourt. All was quiet and still at the moment; though Aqua could tell that the sun would rise soon. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of summer and grass and earth – the smell of home. She let her eyes wander over the rolling hills and flowing rivers, and the castle trimmed in gold. With a small smile on her lips, she walked this way and that, looking at the castle from all the angles her location would permit. It felt so good to see that it was completely unchanged; it was exactly as she remembered.

Except… There was a faint silhouette at one of the windows. It disappeared before she could make out what – or who – it was. She returned to the center of the Forecourt, just where she had landed. And then a moment later, the front doors slowly creaked open; just enough of a crack to let out a young boy.

* * *

Aqua wasn't in her room. Her sheets were cool to touch as Vanitas ran his hands over them - perhaps she has been awake for a while. He considered leaving, but only for a heartbeat. No, he had decided he would see her. Quietly, he opened the door. And froze. He watched from within the shadows as a boy suddenly dashed past the room he was in. The child didn't even notice him, standing in the dark, thin line of the open doorway, as he hurriedly ran. Vanitas slowly clenched his fists. Was that him, then? The thing he and Aqua had accidentally created? _He has her eyes..._

Vanitas stood still for a moment more before he moved out of the shadows and into the light of the hallway. He wondered where Aqua might be as he walked opposite the direction the boy was going. Meeting his son would not end well. He kept his fists clenched. He climbed a few stairs, turned a few corners, wondered whether she might be at the library at this early hour. He walked into one of the rooms without thought. And then he chuckled; they'd hid in this very room once from Eraqus. His eyes lingered on the velvet loveseat, remembering that night so many years ago...

He walked past it to the windows - tall, arched panes of glass that overlooked the Forecourt. Then he saw her.

"Aqua…"

Vanitas clutched at the window pane, his gloved hand struggling to find purchase on the smooth glass. He watched, trembling, as he noticed that the boy from a moment ago was with her. The jealousy and rage that filled his heart was nearly enough to make him lose his mind.

"You! What are you doing here?"

Vanitas spun around, his Keyblade suddenly materializing, and found himself face to face with none other than, "Terra."

The other wielder had his own weapon in hand, too. "You're not welcome here, Vanitas."

"You're starting to talk like Eraqus." Vanitas chuckled.

Terra just stared at him coldly. "Leave. Now."

"I'll decide when to leave."

"No." Terra stepped forward and held his Keyblade in a more threatening stance. "You will go when I tell you to."

Vanitas dismissed his Keyblade, not in the mood to beat Terra to a pulp. "I only came to see Aqua. And now that I – "

There was a sudden shadow of deep, pained emotion in Terra's eyes, causing Vanitas to cut his sentence short. "Aqua is no longer here."

"What?" Vanitas asked, confused. That statement sounded so… definite and permanent. Then he laughed. "If that is your idea of a joke, well, _Ha Ha_."

"Do I look like I'm not serious?"

Vanitas frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? Aqua is standing right outside, idiot."

"She's…? What?"

* * *

Aqua's breath caught in her throat. Was this him? Her baby boy, all grown up? Light, he was as handsome as his father. And a little shorter than she thought he might be. And his face, his jaw, the slant of his eyebrows. It was Vanitas in miniature, looking at her with eyes that were sapphire instead of gold. _Her_ eyes.

"Caelum."

He stopped just a few steps away from her, looking at her. She had forgotten that she was still wearing her armor, with Keyblade in hand. She was suddenly conscious that she might be intimidating him. Although his stance was steadfast and his eyes showed no fear, Aqua hastily dismissed Rainfell and returned her armor to its compact form. Then she stood before her son, frightened where he seemed only curious.

Their silence lasted a while. "Do you… do you know who I am?" she asked.

Something sharp glinted in his eyes as he said, "I'll be asking the questions."

It was so like something Vanitas would have said that her heart almost stopped.

* * *

Terra almost shoved Vanitas away just so he could look out the window. And then he saw her, just there with Caelum. "She's here… She's back." The relief in his tone was almost tangible. He moved to leave the room but Vanitas suddenly clamped a hand down on his arm and held him there.

"Back?" He asked, his voice menacing. "From where? From _what?_"

Terra shook his hand off and Vanitas snarled, summoning his weaponback into existence.

"Answer me," Vanitas said. "What did you mean, when you said she's _no longer_ here?"

"She was off on a mission." The way Terra said it was so smooth that it was almost believable. But those eyes betrayed him.

Vanitas laughed. "Liar." Thin coils of Darkness were curling around the hand that held his Keyblade. "The truth now, Terra, because you of all people should know just how much pain I can inflict when I am… unhappy."

"What's going on here?"

"_Great_," Vanitas snapped as he looked towards the door and saw Ventus. "Long time no see, Ventus. Maybe you can enlighten me where Terra will not?"

He moved away from the older apprentice so fast that he was merely a black blur until his gloved hand had latched onto Ven's throat.

"Ven!" Terra shouted, his grip on his Keyblade tightening.

"Now think carefully, _Ven,_" Vanitas said, "and tell me – "

"She was exiled," Terra blurted out.

"She was… exiled," Vanitas repeated, his fist tightening around Ven's neck. "For how long?" Ventus kept trying to pry the fingers loose to no avail.

Terra found he had no choice but to respond. "Ten years..."

Everything froze. And then without so much as a warning, Vanitas slammed Ven against the wall. Then he spun to block Terra's blow as it came from behind; the older wielder had attempted to take advantage of what he thought was an opening. Vanitas retaliated with a swing of his own blade but Terra stepped back out of reach.

"Ten years?" Vanitas roared, stepping forward and bringing the shaft of his Keyblade against Terra's.

He pushed Terra back, his fury turning into an aura so dark they could hardly see his form within the swirls of shadow. "I left her so she could stay here, with you, the idiots she loved so much!" He lifted his Key, pointing it at Terra. "I left her! Because you would never accept me and I wasn't about to let you cast her out for that! And still you – !"

"Don't flatter yourself! This is not all about you!" Terra suddenly yelled, letting loose whatever emotion he had been bottling up inside. "She hasn't even thought about you in years!"

Vanitas paused, his hold on his Keyblade faltered but he caught himself. "Liar! She wouldn't… Aqua wouldn't…" He snarled. "How would you know when she was never even here?"

"Tell him Ven! Tell him!"

Both of them looked to Ventus who had somehow found his wits enough to call _Wayward Wind._ "I… She…"

Vanitas hissed dangerously. "Spit it out or I'll – !"

"She never spoke about you! Whenever I came to see her, she said nothing about you… She hasn't mentioned you since Caelum was born. Not once, never..."

Vanitas lowered his weapon. Then slowly, his shoulders began to shake with fits of laughter. "Is that how it is?" In a second Vanitas switched his weapon's target from Terra to Ven, swinging it in an arc so swiftly that Ven knew he'd never catch it.

Then the door banged completely open as Master Eraqus stepped in, his Keyblade deflecting the blow away from Ventus. "That's far enough, Vanitas!" His eyes were full of anger. "You're not welcome here!"

Vanitas took a step back to assess his adversaries. "So I've been told." He looked from Terra, to Ventus, to Eraqus, and ground his teeth in frustration. Just Terra would have been easy. With Ven, it got slightly more complicated but manageable. But the three of them… He knew his limits. But he wasn't going to leave without answers.

"Was it your brilliant idea, Eraqus?" he asked. "Would you be so _kind_ as to tell me why Aqua deserved to be exiled?"

"It was for the boy's own good."

"For the boy." Vanitas tested out the words. Then he laughed again. "The boy! And what about Aqua? What good did this do for her? What did I ever leave her for?" He laughed some more, each peal sharp and tinged with insanity.

The three watched with defensive stances as Vanitas seemed to lose his mind, the shadows around him warping and distorting. But then a Corridor of Darkness suddenly opened and Vanitas slowly stepped into it. "Better not let me catch any of you alone," his voice was instantly back to its threateningly cool tone. "I was never very good at holding myself back."

He disappeared.

The three remaining Keyblade Wielders stood still for a long moment before they finally relaxed. They looked at each other in silence. Then Terra spoke, "Master Eraqus, Aqua is back."

"Where's Caelum?"

"Outside with her."

"Good. Never leave him alone. And say nothing of what happened here."

Terra and Ventus exchanged worried glances as they followed their Master out of the room. Ven swallowed hard and said, "Master…?"

"Yes, Ventus?"

"You're going to think I'm crazy but… I think Vanitas really loves her."

The Master did not respond and Terra did not react. Instead, the old Master said, "We should go greet Aqua. It's been long enough." As if he hadn't heard a single word that Ven said.

* * *

"Ask me anything," Aqua said softly.

At first Caelum didn't speak. His eyes drank her in, the way they did when he was not even a day old. She felt as though she was being tested, measured. She could only hope that her son wouldn't find her lacking.

When his eyes finally looked into hers, two pairs of mirrors reflecting off of one another, she saw nothing there but light. Brilliant, strong light. Whatever Eraqus feared, it did not come to fruition. Caelum was his father on the outside, that much was plain. But inside him was a heart of light. Aqua was so overcome with relief and happiness that it took every ounce of willpower to stop herself from running to him and taking him in her arms.

She didn't have to.

Because Caelum suddenly breached what little distance remained between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face against her. In a very small voice, he asked, "What took you so long?"

Her fingers tangled in his soft, dark hair as she said, "I was afraid…"

He pulled away a little to look up at her face. "That's stupid."

She almost heard Van's voice behind it. And it sounded so good to her that, despite herself and the remnants of apprehension she still felt, Aqua laughed. "Is it?"

Her son nodded vigorously.

"You know, you talk like your father."

"Oh." Caelum seemed taken aback as he cautiously asked, "Is that good…?"

Oh, Light, was he worried about what she thought of him? Was he worried that she disapproved? Aqua wanted to pull him closer to her, and kiss him, and tell him that there was nothing – nothing at all – that she did not or would not love about him.

"Yes, it is," she answered, placing her hand against his cheek. "I love that you do."

He smirked and Aqua's heart jumped. Every little thing about him reminded her of Vanitas. It warmed her heart and pleased her to no end. Especially when his next words were, "So, do you want to see my Keyblade?"

The blood rushed to her cheeks faster than she could think. Van had asked her that. Exactly that. Except, of course, it was an innuendo intended to make her blush. Caelum, her son, with his eyes shining so smug and yet so innocent… He just wanted to impress his mother.

So Aqua nodded. "Yes, Caelum. Show me."

It was as his Key materialized in his small hand that the dawn came. And the sun rose.

* * *

**A/N**: I completely understand if you all feel like strangling me. Haha! I had always planned for this story to focus only on a very small part of a larger picture, though. I wanted you, the readers, to wonder what happened before and to imagine what happens next.

Things you might ask:  
Is there going to be a prequel? Maybe, but that's unlikely. I haven't decided and I'm not convinced that it's a good idea to do that. First of all, I think it would be dull and boring for you to read. Secondly, I have very little time to write. Of the prequel, I only have a few finished chapters and some notes on what else I'd like to include. It's striking me as too VanAqua-centric, if that makes any sense. It might not make a good story.  
Is there going to be a sequel? No. I am about 99% certain that I will not be writing a sequel. An epilogue, perhaps, but nothing so time-consuming as a multi-chaptered continuation.

For now, I must end this story here. My days have gotten busier lately due to factors beyond my control.  
But I hope to write again some time soon. Let me know your thoughts and opinions, or questions if any. I'd be more than happy to answer..

Thank you very much for reading!

* * *

**END**

**Thank You**

_~Alacquiene~_


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